Apparatus for shirt or merchandise display



June 16, 193%. N. E. POOL ET AL 2,044,39

APPARATUS FOR SHIRT OR MERCHANDISE DISPLAY Filed Oct'. ISO, 1934 WWWPatented June 16, 1936 dill? STATES 'l" QFFEQE Noel E. Pool and Fred N.Curby, Salt Lake City, Utah Application October 30, 1934, Serial No.750,616

6 Claims.

Our invention relates to supporting devices for advertising displays andhas for its object to provide a new and efficient apparatus for shirt ormerchandise display, which device is adjustable as to size and which isprimarily designed to display shirts in show windows.

A further object is to provide an apparatus for a self adjusting devicefor holding shirts supported on a suitable stiff base in the properposition for showing them to prospective buyers and which device willeliminate the necessity of unpinning new shirts, pinning them over theusual display board, then placing them in the window. Also after theyhave been displayed these shirts must be refolded to the originalmanufacturers form and oftentimes they are dirtied or mussed to such anextent as to not be fit for sale. With our invention the shirt is takenfrom the box in which it was packed and the two pins removed from thecuffs and a flat board is inserted into the fold of the shirt the boardbeing of any suitable stiff material. The shirt is then pinned onto theboard and the support device is then attached to the board to hold theshirt in display position.

The apparatus of the invention relates to a suitable support for thisboard and to the adjustable features thereof, only one device size beingnecessary for all shirts, as it is adapted to fit any size shirt foldnow being used by shirt manufacturers.

These objects we accomplish with the device illustrated in theaccompanying drawing in which similar numerals and letters of referenceindicate like parts throughout the several views and as described in thespecification forming a part of this application and pointed out in theappended claims.

In the drawing in which we have shown the best and most preferred mannerof building our invention,

Figure l is a rear View of a shirt set on the stifi support board, withthe adjustable bracket placed thereon ready to set the bracket in anysuitable window display base.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the adjustable bracket.

Figure 3 is a face View of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the device extended on a larger displayboard to show some of the extent of expansion capable of the bracketwith the spring cut away to more clearly show the links.

Figure 5 is a back view of Figure 4.

The apparatus for our invention as shown in the drawing consists of acenter support rod I having the bottom end turned back upon itself toform a hook 2 and with the top end 3 carrying diverging pivoted links 4and 5. These pivoted links 4 and 5 are pivotally secured to the top endof the rod I by a pivot pin 6 and these pivoted links carry another setof holding links I and 8, by the ends of said holding links beingpivoted to the ends of the pivoted links I and 5, by pivot pins 9 andIII. The ends of these two holding links 1 and 8 are provided with hooksI I and I2 similar to the hook 2 of the rod I and so bent as to be onthe same side of the device as the hook 2. Near the ends of the holdinglinks 7 and 8 we then providea spacer link bar I3 secured to the holdinglinks I and 8 by pivot pins It, to hold the ends of the holdinglinks'spaced apart the same distance at all times and to make the fourcoasting levers perform their desired operations.

Extending downwardly from the two pivoted links 4 and 5 we providetension members I l and I5 preferably springs as shown in the drawingand these members are secured by one end to the end of the pivoted linksI and 5 near where the pivoted links are pivoted to the holding linksand with the other ends of the tension members secured to the centersupport rod I near the hook 2 so that the tension of the members willhave a tendency to normally draw the pivoted links 4 and 5 down to thesides of the rod l and the holding links I. and 8 folded alongside ofthe pivoted links 5 and 5 as shown in Figure 3 of the drawing. Thus, thehooks 2, II and I2 will normally be held toward any object which mightbe placed therebetweeen with the tension of the members holding theobject rigid in relation thereto, and the sets of links allowing forfull expansion of the links to space the hooks I I and I Z away from thehook 2 as far as possible. In this manner the hooks may be used to holdsmall or large folded shirts, or small or large boxes or sheets ofmerchandise with only one device needed to hold most of the objectswhich a retail merchant would wish to display in his windows or on hisshow cases- Onto the back side of the rod I we then provide a universaljoint B which consists of spaced apart brackets I8 secured to the rod Iwith the universal block I9 secured therebetween by the bolt 29. Theblock I9 then carries the U-shaped bracket 2| secured thereto by thebolt 22 and the end of the U carries the securing bolt or screw 24 whichmay be screwed into any desired display base or stand (not shown). It ispossible to use a ball and socket joint in place of this universal andaccomplish the desired result of allowing the base to remain stationaryand to allow the articles being held to be turned or tilted as desiredfor the window display.

When the device is used to hold a shirt the pins holding the cuffs ofthe shirt are removed and a board A is provided of some stifi materialsuch as wall board and this is inserted into the shirt in the fold inthe back, thereof and pins are inserted into the shirt to hold itstretched to the board in smooth relation thereto at the same time notruining the folds of the shirt or mussing it in any manner. When theshirt has been displayed as long as desired, the pins are removed, theboard A withdrawn from the fold of the shirt and the cuffs of the shirtagain pinned back to the shirt front and the device may then be used onanother shirt and the first shirt returned to the stock.

Having thus described our invention we desire to secure by LettersPatent and claim:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of two sets ofpivotally joined coacting links secured pivotally to a center supportrod; tension members to hold the links toward the support rod; and hookson the ends of the two outer links and on the end of the support rod toengage the article to be displayed.

2. In a shirt display of the class described, the combination of acentral support rod having the lower end turned up as a hook; divergingpivoted links pivotally secured together and to the top end of thesupport rod; other spaced apart links having their free ends bent upinto hooks, said links being pivotally secured to the free ends of thediverging links; and yielding means secured to the central support rodand the diverging links to draw all of the links toward the centralsupport rod to hold articles to be displayed between the hook ends ofthe central rod and the spaced apart links.

3. In a display support of the class described, the combination of asingle central support rod having the lower end turned up to form ahook; diverging links pivoted to the top end of said rod; articleengaging links pivoted one to the end of each diverging link with theends of the links formed into hooks to aid in holding the article; a barspacing the free ends of the last mentioned links; and springs securedto the central support rod and to the diverging links to draw theholding hooks and the links all down toward the central support rod tohold an article between the hooks on the outer links and the centralsupport rod.

4. A display device of the class described, comprising five pivotallysupported links having hooks formed on the ends of three of said linksto hold the article to be displayed and springs to hold the links towardthe article to be held.

5. A display device of the class described, comprising a central supportrod; diverging links pivoted to the free end thereof; holding linkspivoted to the free ends of said diverging links; a universal joint tosupport the central rod from a suitable support in any angled positiondesired for display; and yielding means to hold the diverging links andthe holding links toward the central support rod.

6. In a display device, the combination of a central support rod, havingone end turned to form a hook; links pivotally attached to each other inpairs, having the free ends of the outer of said links provided withhooks and with the ends of the inner links pivotally attached to saidrod; and yielding means to hold the links and central rod toward eachother to draw and hold the hooks onto an article to be displayed.

NOEL E. POOL. FRED N. CURBY.

